Android devices are everywhere – not just smartphones, but smart TVs, DVRs, streaming TV boxes and tablets. And many of these devices a shipping with a wide open backdoor for hackers. The Android debug port is supposed to only be used during software development, but many manufacturers are shipping popular Android-based products with this debug interface wide open. Hackers can easily use this interface to hack these devices, often from anywhere on the planet.

In other news, California is trying to follow Vermont’s lead by introducing consumer data protection regulations, but many huge tech companies are trying desperately to defeat the measure. I’ll update you on the VPNFilter malware that is affecting more and more of our home WiFi routers, yet another critical Adobe Flash bug, and a $99 “unbreakable” smart padlock that can be hacked in under two seconds.

Carey Parker began programming computers in middle school when personal computers were just starting to become popular. For years, these twin interests percolated until he attended Purdue University and he learned you could get paid to do this stuff – it was called Electrical Engineering! After obtaining a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in EE, Carey wrote software for multiple companies, large and small. In recent years, particularly after the Edward Snowden revelations in 2013, he became deeply concerned about computer security and privacy. In 2014, he combined his passion for computers, cybersecurity and fantasy novels with the long-time desire to write the book: Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons.